Blockchain layer-2 (L2) network Polygon reduced its average block time by 250 milliseconds to 1.75 seconds, marking its first block-time reduction since genesis as the network pushes deeper into stablecoin payments and settlement infrastructure.
Polygonscan shows that the latest blocks on the network were created in 1.75 seconds. The upgrade means that Polygon can process around 14% more payments per second, reaching a maximum theoretical throughput of about 3,260 transactions per second (TPS), according to Polygon software engineer Lucca Martins.
Shorter block times can help transaction backlogs clear faster, reducing the duration of network congestion and subsequent transaction fee spikes, which is particularly important for high-frequency use cases such as payments, stablecoins or decentralized finance (DeFi) trading.
The upgrade comes as Polygon makes efforts to position itself for use cases targeting more institutional adoption, such as private stablecoin payments. On Tuesday, Polygon introduced a new wallet feature that enables users to privately route stablecoin transactions through a shielded pool verified by zero-knowledge proofs.
The upgrade is part of the Polygon Improvement Proposal PIP-86, a two-step motion that seeks to further reduce block time to 1.5 seconds and scale down checkpoint rewards to maintain the Polygon (POL) token emissions at the target 1% after the block time reduction.
Polygon blockchain explore, latest blocks, production time. Source: Polygonscan
Cointelegraph reached out to Polygon for comment on its block time reduction plans, but had not received a response by publication.
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Polygon targets private stablecoin payments to onboard institutions
Polygon’s new wallet feature is part of an aim to onboard more institutional users as it hides senders, receivers and amounts onchain while maintaining compliance through Know Your Transaction (KYT) screening and auditable files.
The feature introduces more privacy for businesses transacting with stablecoins, according to Polygon community lead Smokey.
Despite the upgrade, Polygon’s (POL) token remained stagnant over the past 24 hours and traded at $0.09 at the time of writing. The token is down 54% over the past year, CoinMarketCap data shows.
POL/USD, one-year chart. Source: CoinMarketCap
Polygon has also integrated with large credit card providers. On April 29, global payments giant Visa expanded its stablecoin pilot to include support for Polygon Base, the Canton Network, Arc and Tempo.
Launched by Visa in 2023, the pilot allows partners to settle transactions through stablecoins rather than traditional banking rails, to evaluate whether stablecoins can offer faster settlement.
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